Arthritis is the most common type of joint disorder. The cartilage that cushions the bones at the joint wears away and leads to pain and stiffness. Although factors are known to lead to Osteoarthritis, such as aging, metabolic, genetic, chemical and mechanical factors, there is no known cause. Osteoarthritis is extremely common in people over the age of 70. However, between the ages of 55 and 70, more females develop it than men. Prior to the age 55, it is equally common in both sexes.
There are two main types of Osteoarthritis - primary and secondary. Primary Osteoarthritis occurs without any injury or identifiable cause; whereas, secondary Osteoarthritis is usually due to another disease or underlying condition. Patients often experience long term limited mobility due to Osteoarthritis. While function can improve with treatment, there is no overall cure for arthritis.
Gradual, subtle onset of deep aching joint pain that is worse after exercise or weight bearing and often relieved by rest Morning stiffness Joint grating with movement Joint swelling Limited movement Joint pain in rainy weather There may be no symptoms Limited range of motion Tenderness Loss of joint space Wearing down of the bone ends Bone spurs Decreased ability to walk Decreased ability to perform activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, household chores or cooking
There are many ways to increase comfort if you suffer from Arthritis.
Weight loss - Every pound overweight adds four times the stress on the knees. Therefore even a pound of weight loss can add a big releif and 11 pounds can cut the risk of developing Osteoarthritis by 50 percent.
Eating proper portions - A serving of meat is 3 ounces or the size of a palm. A serving of dairy is 2 ounces of cheese or the size of a pair of dominoes and a serving of vegetables is one cup or the size of a fist.
Eating better - This includes boosting calcium intake and avoiding fast food. If fast food is a must, go with grilled instead of fried, lettuce and tomato instead of mayo, a salad instead of fries with a little dressing, and water instead of soda. Increasing vitamin C and antioxidants in meals can also reduce the risk of Osteoarthritis. Increasing fish intake can help joint pain. Eat precut fruits and veggies for a snack. Grazing throughout the day is better than three big meals in that it boosts the metabolism. Lower caffine intake can help bones as well.
Watching less television - Television slows the metabloism and encourages being sedentary or laziness
Getting outside - The fresh air is relaxing and adds ways to burn calories.
Take a load off your joints - Exercising in a pool is a great way to exercise with less pressure on your joints
Hiking - This burns calories, builds denser bones and strengthens muscles.
Proper shoes are very important - Shoes should be flexible and supportive with squared or rounded toes, rubber soles and flex at the ball.
Lighten Up - If joints still ache two hours after a workout then next time lighted your routine. Work up towards heavier exercises, starting slowly.
Stretch - Keep your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong by stretching throughout the day even at the office.
Yoga, Pilates or tai chi - Keep joints strong, muscles limber and ease stress
Lifting weights - Help stabilize and protect joints with stronger muscles and denser bones
Get advise from a trainer - Learn how to exercise properly to prevent joint injury and stress.
Avoid Feet pounding exercises - kickboxing and step aerobics are tough on joints
Soak -A warm bath after exercising helps to sooth aching joints and muscles.
Reduce neck strain - Use eye level document holders on the monitor and hands free telephone headsets.
Sit properly at the computer - 20-26 inches from the monitor with the top of the monitor and the top of the head level. Also have arms at sides with right angled elbows and wrists relaxed while typing.
Wear Flats - Heels can add stress to the knees and a three inch heel adds seven times the foot stress of a one inch heel.
Move Around - Sitting or standing all day can lock the body in one position. So moving about every 30 minutes or so can help.
Massages - Relieve muscle tension and lower fatigue by getting a massage
Arthritis is the most common type of joint disorder. The cartilage that cushions the bones at the joint wears away and leads to pain and stiffness. Although factors are known to lead to Osteoarthritis, such as aging, metabolic, genetic, chemical and mechanical factors, there is no known cause. Osteoarthritis is extremely common in people over the age of 70. However, between the ages of 55 and 70, more females develop it than men. Prior to the age 55, it is equally common in both sexes.
There are two main types of Osteoarthritis - primary and secondary. Primary Osteoarthritis occurs without any injury or identifiable cause; whereas, secondary Osteoarthritis is usually due to another disease or underlying condition. Patients often experience long term limited mobility due to Osteoarthritis. While function can improve with treatment, there is no overall cure for arthritis.
There are over 100 types of Arthritis affecting over 46 million Americans.
Achilles tendinitis
Achondroplasia
Acromegalic arthropathy
Adhesive capsulitis
Adult onset Still's disease
Ankylosing spondylitis
Anserine bursitis
Arthritis of Ulcerative colitis
Avascular necrosis
Behcet's syndrome
Bicipital tendonitis
Blount's disease
Brucellar spondylitis
Bursitis
Calcaneal bursitis
Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate
Caplan's syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Chondrocalcinosis
Chondromalacia patellae
Chronic recurrent multifocal
Osteomyelitis
Chronic synovitis
Churg-Strauss syndrome
Cogan's syndrome
Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis
Costosternal syndrome
CREST syndrome
Cryoglobulinemia
Crystal deposition disease
Degenerative joint disease
Dermatomyositis
Diabetic finger sclerosis
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis
Discitis
Discoid lupus erythematosus
Disease of bone
Drug-induced lupus
Duchenne's muscular dystrophy
Dupuytren's contracture
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Enteropathic Arthritis
Epicondylitis
Erosive inflammatory Osteoarthritis
Exercise-induced compartment syndrome
Fabry's disease
Familial Mediterranean fever
Farber's lipogranulomatosis
Felty's syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Fifth's disease
Flat feet
Foreign body synovitis
Freiberg's disease
Fungal Arthritis
Gaucher's disease
Giant cell arteritis
Gonococcal Arthritis
Goodpasture's syndrome
Gout
Granulomatous arteritis
Hemarthrosis
Hemochromatosis
Henoch-Schonlein purpura
Hepatitis B surface antigen disease
Hip dysplasia
Hurler syndrome
Hypermobility syndrome
Hypersensitivity vasculitis
Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy
Immune complex disease
Impingement syndrome
Jaccoud's arthropathy
Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis
Juvenile dermatomyositis
Juvenile rheumatoid Arthritis
Kawasaki disease
Kienbock's disease
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
Linear scleroderma
Lipoid dermatoarthritis
Lofgren's syndrome
Lyme disease
Marfan's syndrome
Medial plica syndrome
Metastatic carcinomatous Arthritis
Mixed connective tissue disease
Mixed cryoglobulinemia
Mucopolysaccharidosis
Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis
Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia
Mycoplasmal Arthritis
Myofascial pain syndrome
Malignant synovioma
Neonatal lupus
Neuropathic arthropathy
Nodular panniculitis
Ochronosis
Olecranon bursitis
Osgood-Schlatter's disease
Osteoarthritis
Osteochondromatosis
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Osteomalacia
Osteomyelitis
Osteonecrosis
Osteoporosis
Overlap syndrome
Pachydermoperiostosis Paget's
Palindromic rheumatism
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome
Pigmented villonodular synovitis
Piriformis syndrome
Plantar fasciitis
Polyarteritis nodosa
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyositis
Popliteal cysts
Posterior tibial tendonitis
Pott's disease
Prepatellar bursitis
Prosthetic joint infection
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Psoriatic Arthritis
Raynaud's phenomenon
Reactive Arthritis/Reiter's syndrome
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome
Relapsing polychondritis
Retrocalcaneal bursitis
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid vasculitis
Rotator cuff tendinitis
Sacroiliitis
Salmonella osteomyelitis
Sarcoidosis
Saturnine gout
Scheuermann's osteochondritis
Scleroderma
Septic Arthritis
Seronegative Arthritis
Shigella Arthritis
Shoulder-hand syndrome
Sickle cell arthropathy
Sjogren's syndrome
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis
Spinal stenosis
Spondylolysis
Staphylococcus Arthritis
Stickler syndrome
Subacute cutaneous lupus
Sweet's syndrome
Sydenham's chorea
Syphilitic Arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Takayasu's arteritis
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Tennis elbow
Tietse's syndrome
Transient osteoporosis
Traumatic Arthritis
Trochanteric bursitis
Tuberculosis Arthritis
Undifferentiated connective tissue syndrome
Urticarial vasculitis
Viral Arthritis
Wegener's granulomatosis
Whipple's disease
Wilson's disease
Yersinial Arthritis
Some common symptoms and signs are listed below.
Gradual, subtle onset of deep aching joint pain that is worse after exercise or weight bearing and often relieved by rest
Morning stiffness
Joint grating with movement
Joint swelling
Limited movement
Joint pain in rainy weather
There may be no symptoms
Limited range of motion
Tenderness
Loss of joint space
Wearing down of the bone ends
Bone spurs
Decreased ability to walk
Decreased ability to perform activities of daily living such as personal hygiene, household chores or cooking
There are many ways to increase comfort if you suffer from Arthritis.
Weight loss - Every pound overweight adds four times the stress on the knees. Therefore even a pound of weight loss can add a big releif and 11 pounds can cut the risk of developing Osteoarthritis by 50 percent.
Eating proper portions - A serving of meat is 3 ounces or the size of a palm. A serving of dairy is 2 ounces of cheese or the size of a pair of dominoes and a serving of vegetables is one cup or the size of a fist.
Eating better - This includes boosting calcium intake and avoiding fast food. If fast food is a must, go with grilled instead of fried, lettuce and tomato instead of mayo, a salad instead of fries with a little dressing, and water instead of soda. Increasing vitamin C and antioxidants in meals can also reduce the risk of Osteoarthritis. Increasing fish intake can help joint pain. Eat precut fruits and veggies for a snack. Grazing throughout the day is better than three big meals in that it boosts the metabolism. Lower caffine intake can help bones as well.
Watching less television - Television slows the metabloism and encourages being sedentary or laziness
Getting outside - The fresh air is relaxing and adds ways to burn calories.
Take a load off your joints - Exercising in a pool is a great way to exercise with less pressure on your joints
Hiking - This burns calories, builds denser bones and strengthens muscles.
Proper shoes are very important - Shoes should be flexible and supportive with squared or rounded toes, rubber soles and flex at the ball.
Lighten Up - If joints still ache two hours after a workout then next time lighted your routine. Work up towards heavier exercises, starting slowly.
Stretch - Keep your muscles and ligaments flexible and strong by stretching throughout the day even at the office.
Yoga, Pilates or tai chi - Keep joints strong, muscles limber and ease stress
Lifting weights - Help stabilize and protect joints with stronger muscles and denser bones
Get advise from a trainer - Learn how to exercise properly to prevent joint injury and stress.
Avoid Feet pounding exercises - kickboxing and step aerobics are tough on joints
Soak -A warm bath after exercising helps to sooth aching joints and muscles.
Reduce neck strain - Use eye level document holders on the monitor and hands free telephone headsets.
Sit properly at the computer - 20-26 inches from the monitor with the top of the monitor and the top of the head level. Also have arms at sides with right angled elbows and wrists relaxed while typing.
Wear Flats - Heels can add stress to the knees and a three inch heel adds seven times the foot stress of a one inch heel.
Move Around - Sitting or standing all day can lock the body in one position. So moving about every 30 minutes or so can help.
Massages - Relieve muscle tension and lower fatigue by getting a massage
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